Improvement in metallic finger-beams of reaping and mowing machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- CYRUS H. MCCORMICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC'FINGER-BEAMS F REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES.

l Specitication forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,657, dated November 5, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, CYRUs H. MoOoRMroK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook 'and State .of Illinois, have invented'certain new and useto; and Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the same.

In mowing wet meadows the nger-heam, if of the ordinary rectangular form in its cross section, unless made so broad as to be very heavy and unwieldy, has too narrow a bearing or sole to rest upon, and is liable to indent or sinkinto the surface of the ground, increasing the draft of the machine and carrying the cutter so 10W as to endanger the cntting of the roots of the grass and killing it. To avoid these objections I have contrived a finger-beam with a broad under surface to prevent; it from sinking too much into the ground, with a narrow upper surface, sloping toward the front, as aseat for the fingers, and to allow cut grass readily to fall over it to the ground, while the requisite vertical stiffness is obtained by giving it additional thickness in the line of the rivet-holes to prevent the latter from reducing its strength too much. The

rear portion of the finger-beam is depressed and made thin, and projects backward like a flange, to give a broad under surface, and forms a convenient'ledge for the front edge of the platform to rest on when the machine is fitted for reaping.

The finger-beam A (represented in the ac companying drawings) should be made of wrought or cast iron, and I prefer the former,

with a broad lower side or sole, a, inclining upward from about its middle to its forward edge, and with a wide rib, a', on the front portion of its upper side, which rib thickens from its front toward its rear edge. Thetop ofthe rib is flat to form a broad and firm seat for the Shanks of the lingers, which rest upon it, and it is pierced with a series of holes for the rivets, which fasten the Vfingers to the beam. The rear portion ofthe beam is made comparativelythin, that its increase of breadth to give it the requisite bearing-surface may not so materially increase its weight.

The sole may be made, as represented, in a transverse -direction, or it may be curved throughout its entire breadth, or at its rear edge only. The latter form in some cases is advantageous in facilitating the backing ofthe machine. l

The Iinger-beam, if made ofwrought-iron, may be made in the same manner as railroad-rails and other bars of irregular cross-section, by means of rolls of a proper shape. If made of cast-iron, it will of course be by molding and casting in the usual manner in which iron castings of a similar character are usually made. I prefer to make the bar solid in the first place, and then to pierce the rivet-holes with a drill, whether the bar be of Wrought or cast metal, as the bar thus made is more likely to be free from cracks, seams, cold-shorts, cavities, and flaws of all kinds than it' the rivet holes were formed by forging, casting, or coldpunching.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

'lhe `ngcr-beam constructed as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

' C. H. MCCORMICK.

Witnesses:

F. W. WENTWou'rH, Y WM. T. PooLE. 

